ALBANY, NEW YORK -John Curley, age 48, of Chester, Vermont, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of meeting a minor for sex.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to a criminal complaint, Curley used an internet-based, adult-oriented social networking service to solicit sex from someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl, but who was actually a police investigator acting in an undercover capacity. Curley was arrested in Fort Ann, New York, where Curley believed he was going to meet the 12-year-old girl for sex. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Curley appeared yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, who ordered him detained pending further proceedings.
If convicted, Curley faces up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
